


You Belong Somewhere You Feel Free

by EdgyFood87, yeeterstark



Series: Irondad is Best Dad [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Brother-Sister Relationships, Father-Daughter Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Harley Keener & Peter Parker are Siblings, Harley Keener is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Harley Keener is a Good Bro, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Inspired by Music, Inspired by Novel, Just once though, Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Michelle Jones is a Little Shit, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Other, Penny Parker - Freeform, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Protective Harley Keener, Protective Tony Stark, Sexual Humor, Trans Female Character, Trans Peter, Trans Peter Parker, Transphobia, female obadiah, its kind of vague, just a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 19:34:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19302379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdgyFood87/pseuds/EdgyFood87, https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeeterstark/pseuds/yeeterstark
Summary: Penny Stark was not always Penny Stark. She used to be Peter. After her transition, Penny moved to New York for her junior year of high school for a fresh start. A few days into school, she meets Ned Leeds.The two quickly become close friends, but Penny soon realizes she wants more than just friendship with this boy. But how can she muster the courage to tell him her most precious secret, especially since it could mean the end of their brief relationship?*Inspired byIf I Was Your Girlby Meredith Russo*





	You Belong Somewhere You Feel Free

**Author's Note:**

> Although we support the LGBT community, we are not a part of LGBT in any way. We don't know much of anything about their struggles and their lives, so if we offend anyone with this fic, We are so sorry. It is not our intention to hurt anyone with this work. We will be happy to take this down if asked.
> 
> If you have any criticisms or anything we can fix/improve, please let us know!!

Her life first began to change for the better when she asked to meet with her family. She had an important announcement that could either ruin her life or make it a million times better. Penny had been considering this for a while now, and she was finally ready. She still wasn't sure how she would explain her... situation to her family. She already considered herself a girl, had been silently calling herself Penny for months now. It made her shudder every time someone referred to her as "Peter."

Penny fidgeted uncomfortably as her older brother, Harley, entered the room and sat in an armchair diagonal from her spot on a plushy loveseat. "Everything alright, Pete?" Penny nodded and watched as her dad entered with his girlfriend, Obaliah (more commonly known as "Obie"). She waited til everyone was settled in comfortably and looking at her expectantly.

"Lately, I've been thinking and I've talked to Gwen and I think I've reached a decision." She took a deep breath. "I don't want to be Peter. I just can't be Peter anymore. I understand if this is a lot for you to take in and if you hate me after this but I want to start actually being myself, and I feel like my true self isn't Peter, it's Penny. And I can't keep going on the way I am because it just feels so wrong when people call me Peter and I can't live my life like this. I feel miserable all the time."

"Penny?" said Harley.

"Yeah. I wanna be Penny." She confirmed nervously. _Please don't disown me. Please don't disown me. Please don't-_

"Cool. I've always wanted a sister," Harley grinned as he stood from his seat at the armchair and plopped next to Penny. He hugged her tightly. "If you need any help, just ask. I love you and Dad loves you and we're gonna back you up. You'll be the most beautiful girl the world has ever seen." Still gripping his sister tightly, he finished his tiny speech with a loving kiss to her hair. God, her brother was amazing. "Right, Dad?"

"I'm sorry. This is a lot to process right now. I just... need a minute." He took several minutes to rub his face and sigh tiredly. Once he was done, he looked up and awkwardly said, "Of course I will, I'll support you no matter what you do. So do you want me to take you shopping? We can go get some girl stuff for your room. Is that alright, Pet- Penny?" Penny nodded.

"Tony, you're not actually supporting this tranny? This- this _fag_?" Obie spat hatefully, spit spraying all over the room. 

Harley and Tony both glared at Obie. "Yes, I am. And if you have a problem with my s- _daughter_ , you can leave."

"Gladly," the bitch snarled as she stood and and grabbed her purse. "Can't believe I ever dated you... disgusting..." She marched toward the elevator to leave, but made sure to spit in Penny's face in passing. Harley exclaimed angrily and stood and followed her, and with a petty smile, shoved her roughly into the elevator. 

"Penny, I'm sorry she did that..." Tony said hestitantly. 

_I'm glad she did._ Penny thought. _She always used to creep me out, the way she looked at me and Harley. Like she wanted to fuck us._ "It's fine," is what she actually said. "Can't win 'em all."

"So, is this why you've been growing your hair out?" asked Harley with a loving smile. Penny nodded.

"So..." said a flustered Tony, "we should probably switch schools. You know, we have that tower in New York. We can find a good school up there."

 _God, yes, please._ "We don't have to. I don't want to force Harley to move for his last year. I could just go to a different school nearby."

"Eh, I honestly don't care," Harley said. "Our school's kind of a nightmare anyway. Anyways, I've always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. I vote New York."

 _Yes!!_ Penny smiled shyly. "I second that."

A month later, the family was loading their stuff into their personal jet and leaving the place Penny had called home for the past 16 years. Now that the initial excitement was wearing off, Penny was kind of sad to leave South Carolina behind. She would miss it.

On the way, Tony gave his kids the details on their new school. Midtown Tech. From 7:30 to 2:30. Penny did a double-take at that. Why did it start and end so early? It was very different from her usual 8:45 - 3:45. "What the hell?" she and Harley said at the same time. 

Tony shrugged. "Well, in every other fanfiction, school ends ridiculously early. Either nobody's ever been to high school before, or school just ends earlier in bigger cities. Just go with it, I guess."

Surprisingly, Penny's first day of school was actually pretty awesome. When she first stepped in, she saw some scrawny kid insulting a chubby Asian boy, showing no signs of stopping. A pretty girl with curly brown hair was staring him down and trying to make him stop, but the most he did was falter whenever their eyes met. _What a dick_. 

The poor kid looked like he was about to cry. Penny ran forward to force the bully to back off, but he stopped on his own. His mouth dropped open, and he gaped at something in Penny's direction. It took Penny a second to realize he was staring at her.

"Stop looking at my sister, you creep!" Harley snarled as he put an arm around Penny's shoulders protectively. 

"H- hey," the boy said, ignoring him. "I'm Flash."

"That's a stupid name." Everyone who was listening laughed, but none louder than Harley. 

Flash's head fell to the floor and he walked away, looking extremely dejected. Good. Don't dish it if you can't take it. Harley grinned stupidly and gave Penny a double thumbs up then went to go look for his classes before the bell could ring.

Penny made her way to the boy and the girl. The girl was comforting the boy. "You ok?" Penny asked.

"Yeah," the boy said. "Thanks. Are you new? I haven't seen you around before."

"Yup," said Penny, popping the 'p.' "Just moved here like a week ago. It's pretty crazy. By the way, do you know where Mrs. Heard's room is?"

"Health science?" the girl said. Penny nodded. "She's our first period, too. We can show you."

"Oh, awesome!" Penny exclaimed. "Thank you so much. What are your names?"

"I'm Ned and this is MJ," said the boy.

"Hey, MJ," Penny said, extending her hand. MJ extended hers as well and they shook hands.

"Only my friends call me MJ. It's Michelle."

Ouch. "Oh, um... sorry, Michelle."

"Don't mind her," Ned said. "She's just weird. She takes a while to get used to people. She likes you, otherwise she wouldn't have offered to show you around. You'll be best friends in no time." Penny nodded gratefully.

Then Penny noticed his shirt. "Woah! Awesome shirt, man!"

Ned looked down, likely to check was he wearing that was so awesome. He quickly read "Star Wars" and laughed. "You like it, too?"

Michelle rolled her eyes and let out an almost inaudible huff. "Not another one," she mumbled under her breath.

"MJ isn't really the biggest Star Wars fan."

"Really? You're missing out, Michelle!"

"Eh. Star Wars has terrible dialogue. More of a Lord of the Rings girl."

"Yeah, Lord of the Rings is pretty awesome." Penny smiled when Michelle gave her a satisfied nod and invited her to sit with her and Ned at lunch. Of course, Penny happily accepted.

 

"How was school?" Tony asked when she got home. 

"I made a friend!" Penny said excitedly. "His name is Ned. He has another friend, Michelle, but she's weird. She doesn't trust me quite yet."

"That's awesome, lil' sis!" Harley called from the kitchen. "I have no friends because I'm a stupid hobo." He placed a finger beside his nose and slowly slid it down. "It makes me cry." Penny rolled her eyes.

"Get it together, Stark."

 

 

In the middle of 3rd about 2 and a half weeks later, Penny was getting her English book from her locker in the middle of class. She had forgotten it, again. It wasn't her fault, though. English is just so stupid and boring. She didn't notice Flash approaching until it was too late. S

"Hey, Penny," the stupid-named boy said. "What do you say we ditch this craphole and go get some lunch somewhere?"

She gave an exasperated sigh. He had been trying to score a date with her since the first day of school. "No, thanks, Flash. I can just eat here." 

But Flash didn't stop. He stepped closer into Penny's personal space. Penny then decided if he got any closer, she would break his nose. "Please?" he begged. He continued to creep closer.

Thankfully, Michelle saved her from getting suspended on her first month. "Get out of here, Flash. Nobody wants your creepy stoner eyes staring at them." Flash looked so offended. He opened his mouth to retort, then noticed the intensity of Michelle's glare and ran away.

"Thanks, Michelle."

Michelle smiled. Penny had never seen her do that before. "Call me MJ."

 

Once Penny finally got her MJ Privileges, the trio began to hang out even more. Now they were inseparable outside of school as well as inside, but Penny was confused. She loved both Ned and MJ, but she felt differently for Ned. Like, she loved him as more than a friend. Problem is, she didn't know exactly how far these feelings went. Was he a crush or just a really good friend? She never had a boyfriend before. Once, she thought she liked a boy, but that crush only lasted a week or two. But Ned was different. She would blush when he would say something stupidly cute or cutely stupid. It wasn't until he stole his mom's wallet and bought a Lego Death Star when Penny realized what she was feeling was love. It was confirmed. He was her crush. Probably.

Penny was in absolute crisis. She had been debating this for weeks. It was almost as big as her decision to change her gender. Ok, that's bullshit. But still. She liked Ned, she knew she did. Right? She needed a Ned expert.

 **Penny:** MJJJJJJJJJJJJjjjjJJJJJJjj

 **Mj:** what up B

 **Penny:** I think I like Ned

 **MJ:** finally some juice. you gonna ask him out?

 **Penny:** I don't even know if I like him

 **MJ:** you just said you do

 **Penny:** idk man hes so cute and funny and we like the same things

 **MJ:** so you like him

 **Penny:** but i couldn't date him i think we would start to hate each other

 **MJ:** so you dont like him

 **Penny:** but hes amazing

 **Penny:** But I can't date him. Can I? He probably hates me

 **MJ:** He doesn't hate you, loser.

 **MJ:** If he asked you out, would you say yes?

 **Penny:** Not completely sure, but 98% sure yes.

 **MJ:** you like him. just take him on a date, I'm sure he'd be ecstatic. nobody can resist a loser such as yourself. Hell, you got flash head over heels for you

 **Penny:** Flash is stupid 

 **Penny:** and I don’t wanna ask Ned’s Bitch ass out im a cowardly bitch

 **Mj:** ok loser I’ll make him ask you. Just make a few vine references and you’ll be in each other’s pants in no time

 **Penny:** MJ!!! thats hot

 **MJ:** yeah ik here’s a meme before I go to bed 

Penny stared at her screen in disgust as a muscular Winnie the Pooh flexed on her and said "Oh, bother, I'm so stuffed with fluff. I'm dummy thick. And the **clap** of my ass cheeks alerted the **B** EES." When it was finally done, she decided she didn't feel like sleeping that night. She'd rather not see that thing her nightmares.

 **Penny:** thanks i hate it

A few days later, Penny, Ned, and MJ had plans to hang out at the Tower and have a sleepover over the weekend. It took a ton of convincing for Tony to agree to allow a boy to come over, but she finally wore him down. Ah, the power of rambling. But then, MJ canceled last minute. In the groupchat, she said something came up. Penny couldn't postpone, either, Ned was already here.

Right after MJ made the announcement that she wasn't coming, Penny received a text from her.

 **MJ:** ur very welc, loser <3 good luck

_The little shit._

"So..." Penny said, smirking, as she bit her bottom lip. "Since MJ can't come, we can probably watch Star Wars."

Ned's eyes lit up and Penny felt her heart melt.

After they finished the prequels, it was around 1 in the morning. The friends decided to take a break, and somehow found themselves laying side by side on the roof of the Tower, staring at the sky.

"So, stupid question," Ned said with a chuckle. "But what's your favorite thing to do, like ever?"

"Hmm," Penny hummed thoughtfully. She continued to gaze up at the dark blank sky, the light pollution obscuring all traces of the speckled universe that existed somewhere beyond all of the little that was visible. "Probably star gazing."

"I've never seen stars," said Ned.

Penny sat up so hard she almost threw up. "What?"

Ned laughed. "I've lived in this city my whole life. The only stars I've ever seen have been in pictures."

"Y'know, before I moved here I lived in South Carolina. When we didn't have school, my friend, Gwen, and I would go to Fall's Park. We would lay on some rocks by the waterfall or the river away from all the lights and we'd watch the stars for hours. They're some of my best memories."

Ned sighed blissfully. "That sounds so badass. Wish I was there, too."

"How about this?" said Penny as she propped herself up on her elbow. "I can steal my dad's car this weekend and we can go find a nice little park somewhere and you can see the stars with me. Make some new memories."

"Awesome."

 

So that's what they did.

"Hey, dad?" Penny called as she got home. She took off her backpack and flung it across the large room dramatically just as Tony's face popped up from where he had been laying on the couch. The heavy bag just missed his face by inches. "Shit, sorry!" Tony smirked and waved it off. He stood and walked over to meet his daughter at the kitchen table, munching on a badly burned grilled cheese sandwich. Harley wasn't here. Since he was a senior, he got early release and had probably been at work for hours. That was good, she didn't need him to enter Protective Big Brother Mode and hunt Ned down. 

"What's up?"

"So... precious Dadums..." 

Tony sighed at the nickname. "What do you want?"

"Ned and I want to go stargazing on Saturday and I wanted to know if I could take one of your cars..."

Tony's brows furrowed in confusion. "What is this, a date?"

"Um, not officially. Maybe. I don't know. He probably hates me, it's whatever, we just want to hang out for a bit. Please?"

Tony stared at her, his face unreadable. The longer he stared, the more uncomfortable Penny felt. She felt her face start to heat up in embarrassment. Then Tony smiled. And laughed. _Real knee-slapper, Dad._ "I'm just messing with you. Of course you can, sweetheart." Penny jumped up in excitement and rushed out dozens of 'thank yous' as she frantically texted Ned. "And Penny?" She turned. "Be back by midnight. And be safe. I can't have anything happening to my pride and joy."

Penny arrived outside Ned's apartment at 7 the next Saturday afternoon. When he jumped in the car, he asked, "So where are we going?"

"My dad recommended this little park in New Jersey. I was thinking we could stop by Steak N' Shake then go stargazing."

"Perfect."

"I love this song," Penny sighed blissfully. She smiled and got lost in the song, ignoring Ned's confused gaze when she failed to pull out of the parking lot.

_Why don't you close your eyes?_  
_And we can leave it all behind_  
_Wake up in paradise_  
_Where the sunset never dies_  
_We'll never say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye_

The song ended a few minutes later and the spell was broken. "Oops," Penny said sheepishly. Ned chuckled. Then he frowned as a look of pure anger and fury and hate contorted together on Penny's previously happy face. "I _hate_ Ariana Grande! Ned, find another station, I'm not listening to this crap."

"You don't like Ariana? Everyone loves her."

"Well, not me. I hate her music and her personalty and I would rather die than listen to her. Find something else, Ned."

"Why don't you just use the aux?" Ned asked. That was actually a reasonable question. 

"I guess I never considered it. I just enjoy the radio. When ads or shit like Ariana Grande and Cardi B come on I have to find something else and I guess it helps me expand my horizons and find new music." Ned nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response and started flipping through channels. Penny started freaking out when he came across Imagine Dragons. Best band ever, in her opinion.

"There, that's perfect! Stop there!"

_It's time to begin, isn't it?_  
_I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit_  
_I'm just the same as I was_  
_Now don't you understand_  
_I'm never changing who I am_

She smiled at Ned and he smiled back, obviously pretending he wasn't wishing he was dead as she sang along very loudly and very off-key.

Ned somehow endured 20 minutes of driving with the horror that is Penny Stark, and was rewarded richly for his struggles by going to Steak N' Shake for the first time.

 

When they arrived to the park, they were granted with the perfect view of the night sky. Even better than Penny was used to back home. Maybe she could take Gwen up here one day. She was ripped from her thoughts when Ned made a cute little noise of awe. "They're beautiful." Then he looked over at Penny, who was grinning smugly. "Don't look at me like that!" he said playfully.

"Sorry," she said, not sorry at all. She scanned the park and dragged Ned over to a soft patch of grass so they could finally start stargazing.

"Do you miss your friends?" Ned asked abruptly. "Like, in South Carolina? You talk about Gwen a lot."

"Yeah. I've never been good at making friends, but I've known Gwen for years," She smiled as she reminisced about old times. When Peter first started to seriously consider becoming Penny, he had confided in Gwen immediately. And he wasn't worried. He just knew she would support him unconditionally, just like she had for almost a decade. Her first reaction was an earsplitting grin and a vow to not stop til Peter found his true identity. "She's amazing. It sucks that I don't get to see her every day, but we've been keeping in touch. I'm going to go see her over the summer."

"She sounds like a great person."

 _You have no idea._ "Yeah, she is. Maybe you can meet her."

"I'd like that. And the stars are beautiful. Thank you so much for taking me."

"You're welc, my dude."

After that, they just lay in silence. At some point, Penny started to doze off, but was jerked awake by a voice.

"Can I tell you something?" Ned asked as he curled in on himself. He looked so nervous. He was shaking, sweating, distressed. Kind of like when Andy kept revealing secrets in that one episode of Parks and Rec. Penny wasn't exactly sure why she thought of that at this particular moment, but maybe it was because she half expected Ned to flop over on his back dramatically. She shook the rather hilarious image out of her head and focused on her friend.

"Y- Yeah," Penny said with a slight stutter, "yeah, go ahead."

"Penny, I... This is so awkward, I'm sorry," he took a deep breath and exhaled, his arms moving in a workout motion, as if to pump himself up. "I like you. I've liked you since you first spoke to me. I understand if you don't feel the same, but I want us to be more than f- friends. I know I'm not the ideal man but please, if you could just give me a chance-"

"I wasn't always Penny."

Ned tilted his head, confusion etched in the creases on his forehead. Then his eyes widened as if he understood what Penny was going to say just before she said it. "oh..."

"I was born a boy... Peter. I became Penny over the summer. I moved here so I could have a new start and I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I just didn't know what to say or how to say it and I understand if you hate me now because everyone else does but please just don't tell I can't move again. I really really like you. I would give anything to be with you and I'm sorry I'm not who you thought I was and that I don't have a vagina and I'm not as perfect as other girls."

"Penny, I don't care about that. I fell in love with you. Not your body parts. I don't give a shit if you have tentacles. I like you for who you are, and nothing is going to change that."

"Really?"

Ned leaned in and cupped Penny's face softly in his hands. "Really, Penny, you're the most wonderful girl I've ever met."

Penny gave a breathy laugh. "Well, that's good," she said tiredly. She grabbed the back of Ned's neck and they both crept closer, almost agonizingly slow. After what felt like hours, their lips finally met in the middle.

Their beautiful moment was interrupted when Penny's phone went off. She groaned and picked it up, eyes squinting against the painfully bright screen reading 2:56 am and Dad Calling. "Shit." She pressed accept. "Heyyyy, precious Dadums. What's new?"

"Where the fuck are you ?"

"I might be at a park somewhere in New Jersey... or I might be in bed. You haven't looked there right?"

"Get your ass home right now. It's 3 in the fucking morning."

"Hmm, tempting, but I don't really feel like it. I'm kind of with my boyfriend?? right now. She glanced over at Ned for conformation that they were... something and gave an earsplitting grin when he nodded. "Also, _technically_ it's only 2:56. Not quite 3 yet." 

"Whatever. Use protection if you do the nasty."

"DAD! No no no no, we're not - doing that, gross!"

"You better not be. You are so grounded, Penny. Get home now before some creep attacks you. Love you."

"I love you, too, Dad." She hung up and looked back up at Ned with a guilty expression. "So that was my dad... but you probably knew that because I screamed his name. That sounded weird. Ok, whatever, we gotta go back before he kicks our thicc asses."

Ned had the audacity to smirk. "Alright. I can drive, you look exhausted."

"My savior."

The new couple slid clumsily into the Audi, Ned shaking with excitement and fear and anticipation at driving this badass car.

Penny turned on the radio and they listened to "Wildflowers" by Tom Petty on their way home. She rested her head on her perfect boyfriend's arm and closed her eyes.

_You belong somewhere close to me_  
_Far away from your trouble and worry_  
_You belong somewhere you feel free_

She couldn't be happier.

**Author's Note:**

> I just watched a bunch of Tom Holland movies and now I'm sad bc he's so cool and amazing and perfect and I'm a useless member of society :(  
> ALSO I am very unhappy with how this fic turned out. It's probably because I wrote most of at like 2 am without help from yeeter but still. I don't like this work and if anyone had any suggestions on how to fix it, please lmk!!!  
> -Edgy
> 
> **  
> Songs I forced Edgy to listen to on repeat while we wrote this (though I think the hobo liked them):  
> "Wildflowers" - Tom Petty  
> "One Headlight" - The Wallflowers  
> "It's Time" - Imagine Dragons  
> "The River" - Imagine Dragons  
> "Doom Days" - Bastille  
> "1000 Nights" - FRENSHIP  
> "Take Me Home, Country Roads" - John Denver  
> "Wonders" - The Script  
> "Monaco" - MKTO
> 
> I doubt anyone actually listens to song recommendations in like anything but pls listen they're good I'll cri if you dont :'( -yeeter
> 
> **
> 
> Any homophobic/transphobic comments will be deleted immediately.


End file.
